Voices from within Reid's Guest House

Reid's Guest House is run by UnitingCare Ballarat as a budget accommodation service for the public with long and short stay options that also provides emergency housing for people who, due to mental illness, addiction problems or other issues, would otherwise be unable to find somewhere to live.

These residents have had a mirror shone up to them in the form of play based on them.

Playwright and director Tracy Bourne wrote the play following her residency at Reid's during November as part of UnitingCare Ballarat's Under the Floorboards project.

During her residency Tracy was exposed to the varied experiences of residents hearing many sad stories but she also met some very courageous people.

"Some people have had domestic or financial problems or have mental health issues but some are here because they want to set themselves up, travellers and backpackers whose rent subsidises those who can't afford the full rent."

The mix of people results in a social scene for some while others stick to themselves.

"There's a bit of a social scene out on the deck and some really like that and feel accepted while others are vulnerable and don't want to be a part of that."

Tracy was surprised how readily residents talked to her about their lives.

"I thought it might take a couple of weeks for people to feel they could talk to me but from day one I had people chatting to me and some are really looking forward to being characters in a play.

Tracy has created a range of characters based on the people she met during her residency and some derived from the history of the guest house.

"There are over twenty in the first draft including a child and a homeless man who we follow through the play."

One of the historical characters is John Reid who set up the original guest house and bakery in the 1870's

"He established a coffee palace so it was a safe place for women and I think there's a link between the past and the present."

John Reid went to Melbourne to pick a wife from a ship in dock and got a mother in law as well.

"Henrietta had lots of children and her mother helped out with the business."

One of the central characters in the play is based on a young man with cerebral palsy who moved to Ballarat from Perth to pursue a relationship with a girl he met over the internet.

This character is played by Thomas Banks from Geelong who also has cerebral palsy and uses a talking machine to communicate.

Tracy says: "The resident in his twenties is living at Reid's because he wants to lead an independent life and it's not appropriate to have an able bodied person pretending to have cerebral palsy which meant we used subtitles for his lines during the performance."

A reading was staged for residents along with a separate reading for the public on Sunday 16th December and the CEO of UnitingCare Ballarat Cliff Barclay was in the audience for both readings.

Cliff was fascinated by the reactions of residents in particular.

"They laughed at the bits they could relate to and looked at each other sticking their thumbs up so it was a bit close to the bone at times for them but true."

Following the play a resident stood up and thanked Tracy for the play saying: 'This is what it's like living here"

One member of the public audience told Tracy that she'd sanitised what happens at the guest house.

"I thought about that but I wanted to tell the story of Reid's from the residents' point of view and I liked the people at Reid's and they were people I could relate to."

Cliff Barclay is delighted Tracy has captured what life is like for residents.

"Without having ever been in the building, people judge what is happening in there and that judgement is oppressive to the people living at Reid's making life worse for them"

Tracy says her overwhelming sense was one of community.

"They have their good days and their bad days but the man with cerebral palsy feels loved and makes those around him feel happy."

Tracy says she's been humbled by the experiences people have gone through.

"Some of the stories could have happened to anybody, any of us could be here at a low point in our life and if it weren't for Reid's a lot of people in this building would be on the streets."

The UnitingCare Ballarat Under the Floorboards project aims to promote the issues it confronts and the work it does as well as raise money for its services and foster the creation of great art.

At completion of the residencies a series of events beginning in October 2013 will be conducted to show its results, including exhibitions and performances from resident artists, with all money raised from the events and auctions going towards UnitingCare's work.

Under the Floorboards is centred on the idea that art has the power to enrich the human soul

The City of Ballarat Arts & Cultural Development is a project partner with UnitingCare Ballarat, extending opportunities for quality arts experiences to all members of the community and providing significant professional development opportunities to local and regional artists.